Guide to Passing the ATCL Piano Recital Diploma Exams!

What is ATCL Piano Recital Diploma Exam all about????

This is a guide with resources and pointers to prepare for the most basic ATCL piano Recital Diploma. Most of us, after passing ABRSM Grade 8, will be considering the Diploma Syllabus in our next phase of pianistic achievements. Here, I recommend ATCL(Recital) as the window and the stepping stone to other more sophisticated qualifications. ATCL is the first level diploma offered by the Trinity College Examinations Board.

Here is a copy of the latest exam syllabus

Pls read through it carefully. I will summarise the important feature of the exam:

1. Recital Exams only requires performance of a set of pieces, no scales, no sight reading, no aural tests, no verbal QnA

2. There is a long list ( check the syllabus ) of pieces to assimilate your program from. You can choose to play anything from the list as long as you can make the entire duration last somewhere 32-38 minutes. Timing is important!

3. Sensible choice of pieces is half of the battle. I will explain this further.

4. Candidates are to treat the exam like a professional Recital performance. (ie. Mini-concert) So, just imagine all the features you observe when you attend other pianists' recital concerts. You need to prepare a set of program notes, dressed in professional attire, carry yourself with a professional aura. To be perfectly professional, most pianists play from memory. But, you don't get penalized for playing with scores either. It is the overall impression you portray that matters.

This is an expensive exam to take. Do be fluent in your playing first before you register for the exams. This is different from the lower graded exams where you can register first to “push” yourself to practise harder. But still, it is one of the most fulfilling and the most forgiving diploma exam! It is stated that the expected level of playing is at first year of undergraduate studies in degree course. You are expected to be advanced and reasonably technically fluent player, but not virtuoso.

Should I just play exams pieces only...?

If we ask any teacher or student this question, the ideal answer is: You should be playing a mixture of exam repertoire and other pieces for variety, so that it is more refreshing. Now, lessons are expensive and we are creatures of limit attention span as well.  Our lessons are usually around 45 min to 1 hour, once every week.  Diploma level pieces are technically demanding and long, so how can we have enough time for these pieces as well as other pieces? 

There is actually nothing wrong to be merely doing exam repertoire the entire year.  It can be refreshing too, just so long the same passage is not played for weeks.  Sonatas are made of movements, and each movement has several section and motifs.  Romantic era pieces are structured in sections as well.  Baroque pieces might be a bit complex, but it can be fun to practice polyphonic passages hands separately.  We can divide our exam pieces into little mini dishes to be taken in small, comfortable bites so that we can savour every little nuance and tonal colour!
Posted by JW

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